The Flight of Eagles
by InfernalChaos
Summary: A young Bran Stark meets a man clad in white robes while climbing the towers of Winterfell. One-shot.


**Author: **InfernalChaos

**Disclaimer: **This is a work of fiction. Any events, characters, names, places, and such, are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, places, or events are entirely coincidental. A Game of Thrones and Assassins Creed belong to their respective owners. This author claims no right on these works, and there is no monetary profit the author receives from this fanfiction.

**Authors Note: **This is just a one-shot featuring an idea that had been floating in my head for some time. I might turn this into a full fic some other time, but not until I finish what I am working on right now. If anyone wants to adopt this idea, feel free to do it, just send me a link so I can read your work.

**-The Flight of Eagles-**

A wolf was howling in the chilly afternoon air, as young Bran Stark climbed up the slope of the guard tower in Winterfell. His father, Lord Eddard Stark, had received word that King Robert Baratheon was to be coming here, to Winterfell. King Robert was said to be traveling with around a hundred of his loyal knights, with all their retainers. Even Queen Cersei and her children would be coming.

As Bran was too young to see over the heads of the other people in the crowd, he had climbed up the tower in order to find a better vantage point. It was slick and slippery, and the wind was chilly here too, yet young Bran deftly climbed up the side of the tower. It would be a good hour at least before the King and everyone accompanying him actually arrived, so his presence would not yet be required. He wanted to at least see the King's company on the road.

He grasped the stone handholds that jutted out from the tower. Here and there, cracks and crevices allowed Bran to better grasp the tower. Above him, a stone gargoyle leered menacingly. He was not afraid. He gripped its horns, as he had done many times before, and used its wings as leverage to propel himself upwards. He swung up, hands already grasping the next stone needed to continue his ascent.

Above him, an eagle cawed.

He was nearing the top of the tower now, and soon he would be able to see the whole of Winterfell, including the Kingsroad. Like a spider, he deftly continued his ascent of the wall of stone. Below him, he could still hear his as of yet unnamed direwolf, howling in the wind.

Finally, Bran grasped the ledge of the tower, and with little effort, pushed himself up. He stood on the edge of the tower, his eyes grasping the lay of the land. There, he could see the King's company on the road. Silver armor gleamed in the suns lights, and pikes with banners were raised high for all to see. Foremost among them were the black stag of Baratheon, crowned with gold, and the golden lion of Lannister printed upon a field of crimson.

"What are you doing here, child?" a voice from behind asked him.

Bran turned around in shock. No one was supposed to be here. Yet there was someone. He was clad all in white, a white and red cape flowing from his left shoulder. He wore a red sash, with a sigil of some sort, an upside down V shape. The man was heavily armed, a sword rested on his hip, while several throwing knives hung about the sash. He also wore a pauldron over the robes, and on his arms were identical bracers, both designed with the strange sigil. Most unusual, though, was the beaked hood the man wore over his face, its shadow hiding his identity.

"Who are you, ser? I have not seen you here at Winterfell before," young Bran asked.

The man laughed, "I am no ser. My name is Ezio, of house Auditore."

Bran did not know what to make of this man. He had said he was no ser, yet he wore more weapons than the knights in his father's company. Was he priest then, of some strange religion? Only priests wore hoods and robes to young Brans knowledge.

"Are you a priest, then, Ser Ezio?" he asked

"_Non. _No. I am no priest. Far from it. I merely serve King Robert. Now child, how did you get here, and who are you?" the man asked.

"I am Bran, son of Lord Eddard Stark. And I merely climbed up here," came Brans reply.

"Who are you? I've never heard of House Auditore before," the child questioned.

"I am a servant of the King, as I said before," the man, Ezio, answered.

Now that Bran thought upon it, his words were strange, they were spoken with some sort of accent he did not recognize. Was he from beyond the sea, maybe?

"That symbol, is that the sigil of your house?" Bran asked, pointing at the ornate symbol that decorated the man's bracers. Bran was curious about this strange man.

"No, no. That is the symbol of my Brotherhood. The sigil of my house is an Eagle, and our words are, _'Nothing is true, everything is permitted'_," Ezio replied to Bran.

Bran felt a chill at these words. It sounded dishonourable. He did not believe someone with words like these could possibly be any good. Bran was now wary of this strange man in white. Yet he was filled with curiosity too, for he had never met someone who served the King before.

"What Brotherhood? And do you really serve the King? What's he like?"

The man laughed once more, "That is information reserved for the King and his hand,little one. As for the King, well, he is different from what you imagine him to be, would be the best way to put it. You will just have to see for yourself."

Now Brans curiosity was truly ignited. He wanted to find out more about this strange man, Ezio. As he was thinking of what questions to ask, a horn blew in the distance.

"That is the King arriving. I must be there to meet him. _Arrivederci!," _Ezio said to Bran.

Without warning, Ezio turned around, then jumped down from his perch. Shocked, Bran rushed to grab him, as he knew a fall from this height would most definitely kill him, evidenced when Maester Luwin had once shown him what would happen were he to fall by dropping a clay doll shaped like Bran off a wall. Bran was afraid that he would see the man splattered on the floor, his insides all around him, like that poor doll long ago.

Yet this was not so. A cart of hay at the bottom had broken his fall, and the man was now riding fast upon a white horse, presumably to meet the King.

"The King!"

Bran remembered why he had come here in the first place, and he remembered that his presence was required when they were to meet the royal family. He quickly descended, his feet and hands guiding him down the stone wall of the tower. As he agilely climbed down to meet with his parents and greet the King, his mind wandered to the strange man, Ezio Auditore.

Above him, an eagle cawed.


End file.
